What You Missed Last Week!
Andrew Carnegie is quoted as saying, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." At each Rotary meeting, we see a group of common people working to attain uncommon results. Those results are seen in the local and world community.
The meeting highlight was the program. King Randall, a 21-year-old “man of action” is from Albany Georgia. His presentation opened opportunities for Rotarians to make a difference in some young person’s life. I must say, it was somewhat strange that King was not asking for our treasure but our talent and time. King’s "X For Boys” is serving in a way that changes lives.
We had several guest last week. It's always great to have public servants with us, Representative Darlene Taylor and Senator Butch Miller, President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate, was elected to that role by Georgia’s state senators of both parties. We serve to change lives.
This Weeks Program!
Gordon Rogers was raised in South Georgia. He graduated high school from Glynn Academy in Brunswick and attended college at Oxford College of Emory University (Oxford), the University of Georgia (Athens), and Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (Savannah). Following formal schooling Gordon was employed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources at their Coastal Resources Division office in Brunswick, initially as a fisheries statistician and later as a marine biologist and policy analyst. After 10 years at GADNR he worked in the waste and recycling industry for 9 years. He has also fished professionally and taught about fishing. He served as the Executive Director and Riverkeeper® at Satilla Riverkeeper® for five years, and was appointed ED and Riverkeeper® for the Flint in 2009. Gordon and his wife Gina have three grown children: daughter Jamie Leigh, sons Joe and Quint. They are proud grandparents of Brooks, born during the winter of 2021. Gina and Gordon live in Talbot County on a farm along the Flint River at Old Ypsilanti, the site of a defunct cotton gin and general store.
New Member Alert!!!
We now have two new members. Thomasville Chief of Police, John Letteney had his membership transferred.
Mike Jones, son of Andy Jones was inducted into the club as the newest member by Fran Milberg.
Rotary is LIFE CHANGING
According to Gene McNease, Rotary opens a world of possibilities and fellowship opportunities. Rotary International is offered around the world in the form of programs, fellowships, conventions, and the list goes on. Rotary is much larger than you can ever imagine. Rotary has more potential for personal growth if you’ll just reach out and touch other Rotarians of the world.
In 2007, Rotarian John Glenn was president of the Rotary Club of Thomasville. He and Gene McNease were fellow members of Glen Arven. If you knew John, you knew he wanted everyone to be as passionate about Rotary as he was. John discovered that a group of Rotarians from around the world gathered once a year to play tennis. He knew that Gene played tennis. John encouraged Gene to join, and Gene signed up to play in a tennis tournament in Saverno, Italy that year. Arriving in Italy, Gene was greeted by immediate friends who escorted him to his destination. During that trip, the Constitution and By-Laws were created for the ITFR (International Tennis Fellowship of Rotarians), and Gene was a part of the creation. He was growing his Rotary world one swing at a time.
“Rotary began with a small group of professional and businessmen seeking fellowship. Their friendship bond enabled them to change their communities. Today that same fellowship is the life blood of this “world-changing force for good” called ROTARY! The ITFR began similarly when two men, Tomislav Maravic and Mladen Novakovic sought to organize a small group of tennis playing Rotarian men for fun and fellowship in Zagreb, Croatia. Their zest for tennis and love of Rotary led to the formation of a larger group of Croatian cities with tennis tournaments, and a Rotarian fellowship was born. These two men applied for and received our charter from Rotary International in 2003.”
Gene continues to be an active member of the fellowship. He was president of the ITFR for 2 terms (4 years total). He is now Treasurer and an international board member. Gene has won trophies in all 4 continents and 7 countries. He has attended 8 different Rotary International Conventions.
“Rotary itself broadens the mind. When you are part of a fellowship, you are more aware of how other countries view Rotary and celebrate Rotary. You obtain a real new appreciation for your own country and your own club. The relationships you build are long-distance, but that distance is much smaller now than 10 years ago due to technology.” Gene has quarterly ZOOM meetings and feels the warmth when he travels to each tournament or any Rotary event. “Relationships with Rotarians and Rotary in their own country allows you to see how they perceive us, and we perceive them.”
Rotary has many fellowships already created. Visit this website to view them.
ROTARY FELLOWSHIP INFORMATION
If your interest is not here, consider creating a new Rotary Fellowship.
Be sure to speak with Gene McNease. His passion for Rotary is contagious!
